However, a spokesman for Kym has denied the claims, telling HuffPost UK: "There is no truth whatsoever in this story."

There was some confusion when Alison’s exit was first announced, and the actress later dismissed reports that she was merely taking a brief break from t’cobbles.

“It's been put out there that I'm taking a sabbatical, but I'm not,” she stated earlier this month. “They’ve very graciously left the doors open for me to come back if I want to. And I haven't ruled that out. But this is a new chapter for me.”